Clothes drier



May 19 1942. w. K. HARRIS CLOTHES DRIER Fil ed Sept. 20, 1940 2 Shets:Sheet 1 11 1/2125!" flrris y 1942- w. HARRIS 2,283,205

CLOTHES DRIER Filed Sept. 20, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 2 M12 51 figr jg y yw Y Patented May 19, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CLOTHES DRIER Walter K. Harris, Richmond, Va. Application September 20, 1940, Serial No. 357,648

4 Claims. p (01. 211-102) This invention pertains to clothes driers and is especially directed to clothes driers of the type to be installed in dwelling apartments.

The invention comprises a clothes drier construction which is readily installed in a conventional apartment and which can be installed by persons unskilled in the use of tools.

In its essential elements the clothes drier construction comprises a clothes supporting head, an attachment for an upright surface to support the drier, a guideway for moving the clothes supporting head vertically, a guide member carrying the head and movably guided'by the guideway, and mechanism for lifting the guide member guided by the guideway to lift and lower the clothes supporting head.

The drier may be attached to a wall or other upright plane surface, but under the preferred practice of the invention an attachment is provided adapted to attach the drier to a window frame, door frames, or the like. Pursuant to this object the attachment comprises one or more clamps, each with a set of jaws constructed to engage and hold opposite edges of an upright member, such as a side frame of a window.

The guideway is connected in a manner to peri mit adjustment of the clamp to window or door frames of different widths. The clamp construction, and its connection with the guideway, is such that the guideway is positioned spaced away from the frame, and is positioned laterally of the clamp jaws. This construction positions the drier away from the window opening and out of the way of curtains and other window appurtenances. The connection between the clamp and the guideway is adjustable to offset the guideway selectively in opposite directions, to enable the drier to be attached to the right or left side frame without interference with window appurtenances.

The guideway is open at its upper or lower or ing head is attached to the upper end of the -Cil guide member where it can be positioned high,

and immediately below the ceiling of the room, as the guide member is moved up in the guideway. When the guide member is lowered, the head can be brought low enough for hanging clothes. The inter-cooperation between the guide member and the guideway is such that it does not interfere with the mechanism for lifting the clothes supporting head.

The mechanism for moving the clothes sup- I in Figure 5.

porting head comprises a manually operable crank handle for raising and lowering the clothes supporting head, and a stop mechanism to hold the head to the position to which it has been raised or lowered The holding mechanism is constructed to operate only when the crank handle is in position of alignment withthe guidebreaks or otherwise fails.

The clothes supporting head includes a cross member whichcarries elements projecting therefrom for receiving the clothes attached thereto for drying. The elements are mounted on the cross member foldable to position them out of the way, and to enable the device to be packed compactly for shipping. v r

The various advantages of the invention will be more apparent from the accompanying disclosure of a structure comprising one practical embodiment thereof, details of the disclosure being presented hereinafter and shown in the accompanying drawings a In the drawings:

Figure l is a perspective view of the device of the invention installed;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal cross sectional elevation;

Figure 3 is a cross sectional elevation taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2;-

Figure 4 is a cross section, taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is an elevation, with parts broken away, of thehea'd member in folded condition; and

Figure 6v is a plan View of the structure shown The device of the invention comprises a clothes supporting head II; and a guideway l2 adapted to be attached to .an upright surface by clamps 13 or other means. Guide member I4 is adapted to move in the guideway l2 and carries the head member If attached to its upDBr end.

'Ansuitable means for attaching the guideway 12 to an upright surface may be provided. In

the preferred practice of the invention, the attaching means comprises the clamps I3, which are adapted to engage the side frame I5 of a window or door jamb. Each clamp, there bein two in the preferred practice of the invention shown, comprises the jaw members I6 and I1 attached to the guide rail structure, as illustrated in Figure 4, by means of screws I8. The jaw members, according to the preferred practice of the invention, are independent pieces separately attachable to and detachable from the guideway I2, by means of legs 25 and 26 of the respective jaw members I6 and I1. At least one leg is provided with a notch I9 to enable the jaw faces 20 and 2| of the respective jaw members I6 and I1 to be moved toward or away from each other for adjusting the jaw to window or door frames of greater or narrower width.

In the preferred practice of the invention shown, the jaw members I6 and I1 are constructed of resilient material, such as strap iron, and are held in spaced relationship by the takeup bolt 22 which draws the faces 20 and 2| toward each other against their natural resiliency and their tendency to spread apart. The take-up bolt 22 is located spaced away from the terminal edges of the jaw faces 20 and 2|, and operates as a positioning guide for the engagement of the jaws with the frame I5. The edge of each jaw face 20, 2| is upset for firm clamping engagement with the frame I5. v

As shown most clearly in Figure 4, at least one jaw face, in the instant case face 2| of the jaw member I1, is offset laterally from the guideway I2 to which it is attached. The object of this construction is to dispose the guideway I2 to the side of the window opening 23, where it will be out of the way of curtains 24, and other window appurtenances. For a similar reason, the jaw faces 20 and 2| are spaced away from the legs 25 and 26, which receive the attaching screws I 8. to attach the guideway I2 to the clamps I3 with the guideway I2 spaced away from the frame I5. By spacing the legs 25 and 26 away from the jaw faces 20 and 2|, the guideway is held well forward of the frame I5 where it and its cooperating parts, will not become fouled by the curtains 24.

In the embodiment of the invention shown, the guideway comprises the base rail 21 with the side rails 28 and 29 disposed along each side of the base rail. The guide member I4 is disposed to move along the base member 21 in face to face relationship therewith confined by the side rails 28 and 29, Figure 4. The side rails 28 and 29 are preferably provided with edged beads 30 which confine the guide member M in sliding engagement with the base rail 21. To reduce frictional engagement between the guide member I4 and the base rail 21 to a minimum, the base rail is provided with contact buttons 3| on which the guide member I4 slides.

The upper end of the guideway I2 is open as shown. The guide member is thus movable to project out of the end 32 of the guideway and upwardly toward the ceiling 33 of the room. The guideway may also be open at its lower end at 32', to enable the guide member to be projected out of its lower end, if this is necessary to position the head member II low enough to be within easy reach. The head member II is attached to the upper terminus of the guide member I4, for example, by means of screws 34. The head member comprises the cross rail 35 which, in the preferred practice of the invention shown, is constructed integral with the bracket 36 to afford firm attachment to guide member l4. The cross member is provided with a plurality of clothes supporting strands which, in the embodiment of the invention shown, comprise rods, each rod being pivoted in the cross member 35 on a vertical pivot 38. In the embodiment of the invention shown, the clothes supporting rods are made of metal, and are bent to an angle approaching but less than, a right angle. The several rod members can be folded into the plane of the cross member 35, as illustrated in Figures 5 and 6, to reduce the space occupied by the clothes support to a minimum. The clothes supporting rods 31 can be rotated on their pivots 38 to project away from the cross member 35, to provide the clothes supporting arms 39 which normally are deflected upwardly, as illustrated in Figure 2, but which assume an approximately horizontal level when subjected to the weight of a garment or fabric.

Any suitable means may be provided for lifting and lowering the clothes supporting structure. In the practice of the invention shown, the lifting means comprises a hand crank 40. fixed to the shaft 4|, Figures 2 and 3, which shaft is bearinged, as illustrated, in the side members 42 and 43 constituting extensions of the guideway side rails 28 and 29. Fixed to the shaft 4| to rotate therewith is the winding drum 44 for the strand 45. As the hand crank 40 is rotated in the normal direction, comprising the counterclockwise direction in Figure 2, the strand 45 is wound on the drum 44. The strand 45 is threaded through guide eyes 48 over the sheave 41, the strand extending down from the sheave 41 to a point of attachment, indicated generally by reference numeral 49, with the guide member I4. By means of this construction, as the crank 40 is rotated to wind the strand 45 on the drum 44, the strand pulls the guide member upwardly in the guideway I2, and lifts the clothes supporting head II toward the ceiling 33. The clothes supporting head II can be lowered to a level convenient for attaching garments and fabrics to the clothes supporting rods 31, the lower end 32' of the guideway I2 being open to permit the guide member I4 to project therefrom. The upper end 32 of the guideway I2 is also open to permit the guide member I4 to be projected therefrom, and the head member II can therefore be lifted high in the room. The construction is such that the head member II can be lifted up to the ceiling 33 or immediately below the ceiling. This is the warmest part of the room, and constitutes the portion of the room in which the clothes will dry most quickly. In addition, the clothes are well above the floor and out of the way of persons and furniture occupying the room.

The construction also enables the head member I I to be positioned high in the room when not in use. Mechanism for holding the head member to the height to which it has been lifted by rotation of the crank 40 includes a ratchet 50 fixed to the drum 44, and fixed to the shaft 4| to rotate therewith. The pawl or dog 5| pivoted at 52 is spring actuated by spring 53 to engage the teeth 54 of the ratchet 50, the spring being operative constantly tending to place the dog 5| into engagement with the ratchet 50. The pawl 5| is provided with the push button 55 projecting through the aperture 56 of the housing 51 for the drum 44, whereby the pawl may be released whenever it is desired to operate the crank to lower the head and guide member. The ratchet 50 may be provided with any number of teeth, but in the preferred practice of the invention shown, it is provided with two teeth, disposed diametrically opposite each other and circumferentially with reference to the crank 40 so that, whenever the dog engages a tooth 54 of the ratchet 50, the crank 40 is disposed upwardly or downwardly in alignment'with the guideway l2. By this means the crank 49 is never positioned projectingaway from the device in a position where it is in the way to be struck by persons moving about in the room.

The attachment 49 for the end of the strand 45 to the guide member I4 includes a fall preventing holding member, illustrated in Figure 3. The holding member comprises the levers 58 and 59, respectively to the left and right in Figure 3, and respectively pivoted at 69 and BI to the guide member I4. Of each lever 58 and 59 one arm, 62 and 63 respectively, extends away from the respective pivots 69 and BI, the arms 62 and 63 being toward each other in overlapping relationship. The pin 64 in lever 59 rides in guide slot 65 in lever 58 to provide an inter-connection between the levers 58 and 59. The arm of the lever 58 opposite the arm 62 is provided with the cam face 66 serrated, as shown, for gripping engagement. The arm opposite 63 of lever 59 is provided with a similar cam face 61, also serrated, as shown, for gripping engagement. The lever 58 provides the projection 69 perforated, as shown, to receive the end of the strand 45 attached thereto. Opposite the projection 69 the lever 58 is provided with a perforation as a convenient attachment for one end of the tension spring 1|. The other end of the spring H is attached to the pin 12 fixed to the guide member I4.

In the normal operation of the device, the parts occupy the position illustrated in Figure 3. The strand 45 pulling the lever 59 against the tension of the spring H draws the upper extremity of the guide slot 65 into engagement with the pin 64 as a connection from the strand 45 to' the guide member M for lifting and lowering the guide member and the clothes supporting head II. If the strand 45 breaks, releasing the spring H to rotate the levers 58 and 59 in opposite direction on their respective pivots 69 and 6|, the cam faces 66 and 61, respectively, are moved into engagement with the respective side rails 28 and 29 of the guideway IE, to hold the guide member [4 against falling. The holding action of the cam faces 66-45! is instantaneous upon the action of the spring H, and operates to hold the guide member I4 and the clothes supporting head H against falling from any level they occupy when the strand 45 fails. In lowering the head and guide member by rotation of crank 40 a tension is maintained on the strand to keep the levers 58 and 59 in retracted position or out of locking action sothat the head and guide member may be freely lowered without resistance.

The hereinbefore disclosed construction presents one preferred embodiment of the invention, the invention being susceptible to a num ber of modifications without departing from the spirit thereof. Accordingly, the scope of monopoly is not to be determined by the structure shown in the drawings and described herewith, but the invention is limited by the terms of the accompanying claims.

What I claim is:

1. A clothes drier adapted to be supported upon one side of a window frame or like upright sup- *3 porting member comprising a guideway of less width than the width of the supporting mem- 'ber,a guide member movably mounted on the guideway, a clothes supporting head at the upper endof the guide-member, and a clamping attachment on the guideway comprising jaws for engaging opposite edges of the upright supporting member, onejaw being mounted in alinement with one of the edges of the guideway to engage one edge of the upright supporting member and the other jaw being spaced laterally out of alinement with the other edge of the guideway to engage the other edge of the upright supporting member, the spacing of said jaws being such as to hold the drier supported substantially at one side of the vertical center of the upright supporting member.

2. In a clothes drier for attachmentto the side of a door or window frame or like supporting member, a channeled guideway of less width than and adapted to be disposed at one side of the vertical center of the supporting member, a guide member movable vertically in said guideway, a clothes supporting head carried by the guide member, means for raising and lowering the guide member and holding it in any of its positions of adjustment, and clamping devices arranged at different elevations on the guideway and each comprising a pair of spring clamping jaws to engage opposite edges of the supporting member, one of said jaws being mounted in alinement with one of the edges of the guideway to engage one of the edges of the supporting member and the other being spaced laterally out of alinement with the other edge of the guideway to engage the other edge of the supporting member whereby to dispose the guideway when supported at one side of the vertical center of the supporting member, said jaws including leg portions secured to the guideway and disposing the jaws in spaced relation to the guideway to hold the guideway. spaced from the supporting member, and a bolt connecting the jaws for holding them when in clamping position under tension.

3. In a clothes drier for attachment to the side of a door or window frame orlike upright supporting member, a guide frame having guide channels at opposite sides thereof, a guide member disposed in front of the guide frame and movable vertically in said channels, said guide member being provided with a chamber or recess in its rear side facing the guide frame, a clothes supporting head carried by the guide member, means carried by the guide frame for attaching the same to an upright surface, a winding device at the lower end of the guide frame, a supporting strand connected at one end to the winding device and extending therefrom upward in rear of the guide frame and over the top of the guide frame in guided connection therewith and thence downwardly between the guide frame and guide member with its opposite end terminating in said chamber or recess, and means connecting said strand at its latter-named end with the guide member, said means being arranged in said chamber or recess and including pivotally mounted gripping jaws normally held retracted by the strand and having toothed ends projecting laterally from said recess and engageable with the guide channels to lock the guide member against downward movement in the event of the breaking of the strand.

4. In a clothes drier for attachment to the side of a door or window frame or like upright supporting member, a guide frame having guide channels at opposite sides thereof, a guide mem-, ber movable vertically in said guide channels in front of the guide frame and having a chamber or recess in its rear surface facing the guide frame, a clothes supporting head carried by the guide member, clamping devices arranged adjacent to the bottom and top of the guideway for attaching the guideway to the supporting member and holding it spaced from said supporting member, a strand guiding member at the top of the guide frame, a winding device at the lower end of the guide frame, a supporting strand connected at one end to the winding device and extending therefrom upwardly in rear of the guide frame and over and in guided connection with the strand guiding member and having its opposite end extending downwardly between the guide frame and the guide member, means arranged in said chamber or recess of the guide member and connecting said strand at its latternamed end with the guide member, said means comprising a pair of gripping jaws pivotally mounted on the guide member and having toothed outer ends projecting from the recess and engageable with the guide channels of the guide frame, said jaws being pivotally and slidably connected with each other adjacent their inner ends and one of the jaws having an arm at its inner end to which the strand is attached, whereby in the normal condition of the strand the jaws are held retracted, and a spring connected with the arm of one of the armed jaws and operating to throw the jaws into locking engagement with the guide channels when the strand breaks.

WALTER K. HARRIS. 

